Seven Step Till Eternity

Married

Janki pov 

I never thought I'd find myself in this situation—married. No matter how much I resisted, tried to control the outcome, here I am, Mrs. Raghav, married to a man I barely know. Raghav—my branded husband, according to  Mama ji, Raghav is the epitome of perfection, the ideal match any girl could wish for. He swears Raghav will never give up on me or on us. It's a comforting promise, I suppose, but I can't help but wonder does he even know me well enough to make such a vow? And more importantly, do I know him? 

It's strange how life takes these unexpected turns. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine this marrying a man whose name I only heard in conversations, someone who was just a distant acquaintance, not even a friend. I didn't even have the time to wrap my head around it. One moment I was handling my business, carrying on with my life, and the next, I was standing at the altar beside him. To be honest, I had always imagined my life differently, not necessarily filled with grand dreams of love, but at least with the comfort of familiarity, of control. But now, everything feels so unfamiliar, so sudden. Raghav is kind, I'll give him that. He has this way of smiling that makes it seem like he's genuinely trying, but it's hard for me to trust that smile, to trust anything, really.

Sometimes, I find myself wishing I could go back—to a time when everything made sense, when I was happy in my own way. Back when my life wasn't tangled up in expectations and responsibilities. I long for the days when I knew where I was heading, even if the path was tough. But now, it feels like I'm on a completely different roadone I never chose, with a companion I never asked for.t But there's no turning back, is there? All I can do is try to understand this new reality, this new life with Raghav. Maybe, just maybe, somewhere along the way, I'll find a way to be at peace with it.

She snap out from her trail, with a soft call, "Janaki" 

She look at the door, he was standing in casuals, "what" She regret instantly for her snapping word. 

"Nothing, change and if you are hungry than... " 

She cut if between with "Yeah I will change Im not hungry.. Thank you" 

He nodded and move to the other room. 

Raghav pov

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about all of this—or even how I am feeling. It's a tangle of confusion, a mess of thoughts I can't quite sort out. When I imagined my future partner, I had so many hopes, so many dreams. Someone who would fill the empty spaces in my life, someone who would be my family—something I've craved since as long as I can remember. As an orphan, that's all I ever truly wanted. But Janaki... she isn't what I had imagined.

She's carrying a heavy weight, a kind of sadness that's impossible to ignore. Losing her parents changed her—it's like she's locked in a silent battle with the world, and herself. And now, here we are, two strangers bound by a promise. When her Mama ji—my mentor, my guide—asked me to marry her, I couldn't bring myself to refuse. He believed I could help her, that I could be the stability she needs. I wasn't so sure, but I agreed, trusting his wisdom.

Now, looking at her, I realize how much patience this will take. I know she's not ready for this new chapter, not when she's still caught in the shadows of her past. I've seen her before, back when her parents were alive. She was different then—full of energy, with a spark in her eyes. That spark is gone now, buried beneath the weight of grief and loss. It's as if she's lost her will to truly live, and instead, she's just... existing.

I don't want to change her, but I want to see her smile again, to see a glimpse of the woman she used to be. All I wish for is happiness—for her, for myself, and for everyone around us. Maybe it's naive, but I believe that if I can give her enough time, if I can understand her pain, things might change. Maybe she'll find her way back, and maybe I'll find a place in her world.